The present invention is directed generally to a process for mitigating degradation and contamination of surfaces caused by radiation induced breakdown of molecules and their subsequent reaction and/or deposition on these surfaces. More particularly, the process disclosed herein is directed to protection of the surfaces of components of a lithographic stepper, such as the mask and imaging optics, from the consequences of radiation induced molecular breakdown.
Photolithography is a well-known technique for applying patterns to the surface of a workpiece, such as a circuit pattern to a semiconductor chip or wafer. This technique has the advantage of being able to faithfully reproduce small and intricate patterns. Traditional photolithography involves applying electromagnetic radiation to a mask having openings formed therein (transmission mask) such that the light or radiation that passes through the openings is applied to a region on the surface of the workpiece that is coated with a radiation-sensitive substance, e.g., a photoresist. The mask pattern is reproduced on the surface of the workpiece by removing the exposed or unexposed photoresist. However, the capabilities of conventional photolithographic techniques have been severely challenged by the need for circuitry of increasing density and higher resolution features. The demand for smaller feature sizes has inexorably driven the wavelength of radiation needed to produce the desired pattern to ever-shorter wavelengths. As the wavelength of the applied radiation is made shorter the energy of the radiation becomes greater to the point where the radiation can cause the decomposition of molecules adsorbed on or proximate to a surface to produce reactive species that can attack, degrade, or otherwise contaminate the surface.
While short wavelength radiation can directly dissociate molecules, secondary electrons, created by the interaction of this radiation with surfaces, are the primary agents for molecular dissociation. Low energy (5-10 eV) secondary electrons are known to be very active in breaking chemical bonds by direct ionization of adsorbed molecules or by electron attachment, wherein a secondary electron binds to a molecule producing a reactive negative ion that then de-excites to a dissociated product. Any type of radiation (photons, electrons, ions, and particles) that is energetic enough to liberate electrons can create secondary electrons; typically, energies of about 4-5 eV are required. Consequently, radiation induced contamination, i.e., contamination of surfaces by reactive species produced by secondary electrons originating from radiative interactions, will most certainly occur in lithographic processes that use energetic radiation such as: extreme ultraviolet lithography (photon energy≈100 eV), projection electron lithography (electron energy≈50-100 keV), ion beam lithography (ion energy greater than 10 keV), 193 nm lithography (photon energy≈6.4 eV) and 157 nm lithography (photon energy≈7.9 eV). Thus, the potential for contamination of critical lithographic components, such as masks and optical surfaces, and degradation of their operational capability is present in all the advanced lithographic processes.
A mechanism for the contamination of surfaces having gaseous species adsorbed thereon and exposed to an incident flux of radiation is illustrated schematically in FIG. 1. Here, surface 110 has both hydrocarbon and water molecules adsorbed thereon. The term xe2x80x9chydrocarbonxe2x80x9d can include any carbon containing species. Exposure to a radiation flux causes secondary electrons to be emitted from surface 110 that can dissociate the adsorbed hydrocarbon molecules to form reactive carbon fragments that can form a graphite layer on the surface. By way of example, exposure of a Si-terminated Mo/Si multilayer mirror to a flux density of about 330 mW/mm2 of 13.4 nm radiation at a background pressure of 1xc3x9710xe2x88x927 Torr for about 45 hours results in the growth of a layer of graphitic carbon having a thickness of about 230 xc3x85. The graphitic carbon film, produced by the secondary-electron-induced dissociation of hydrocarbon molecules adsorbed on the surface from this environment reduced mirror reflectivity from 66% to 12%, a loss in reflectivity that would render the multilayer mirror inoperable in a lithographic stepper.
Similarly, secondary electrons emitted from surface 110 in response to the radiation flux can dissociate adsorbed water molecules to form reactive oxygen species that can oxidize a surface to form an oxide film that can degrade the reflectivity of a mirror by absorption of radiation. Thus, oxidation resulting from radiation induced dissociation of water molecules can catastrophically and irreversibly damage optical surfaces. By way of example, exposure of a Si-terminated Mo/Si multilayer mirror to a flux density of about 330 mW/mm2 of 13.4 nm radiation and 1xc3x9710xe2x88x927 Torr of water vapor for about 24 hours results in the growth of a layer of SiO2. This SiO2 layer, which cannot be removed without damaging the Mo/Si multilayer structure, caused reflectivity to be reduced from 66% to 59%, a result that is unacceptable for operational purposes.
Accordingly, what is required is a process for eliminating or significantly mitigating contamination and/or degradation of surfaces, and particularly surfaces of critical lithographic components, exposed to radiation in the presence of common contaminants such as hydrocarbons and water vapor. This is especially true for the emerging lithographic processes that use shorter wavelength and thus higher energy radiation because of the significant potential for degrading critical components and the extreme sensitivity of these components to small changes in surface properties.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a process for mitigating or eliminating contamination of surfaces by common, adventitious atmospheric molecular compounds dissociated by exposure to a radiative flux.
It is a further object to provide a process that operates effectively at sub-atmospheric pressures.
In the inventive process disclosed herein a gas or a mixture of gases is introduced into the environment of a surface(s) to be protected. The choice of the gaseous species to be introduced is dependent upon the contamination as well as the ability of the gaseous species to bind to the surface to be protected The latter criterion is invoked so that secondary electrons emitted from the surface in response to incident radiation can dissociate the adsorbed species. When the surface and associated bound species are exposed to radiation, reactive species are formed that react with surface contamination such as carbon or oxide films to form volatile products (e.g., CO, CO2) which desorb from the surface.